Boys Town Washington DC Youth Experience Capitol Tour

A Boys Town Washington DC Family Home had the opportunity to tour the ​Capitol on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014. The youth, Family-Teacher
® and Dr. Jerry Davis, Vice President of National Advocacy and Public Policy for Boys Town Washington DC, were led by Lisette Burton, Director of National Advocacy to meet their tour guide, former Republican Congressman Bill Zeliff, who represented a district in New Hampshire from 1991-1997.

Zeliff showed the Boys Town youth all around the Capitol talking about interesting facts and answering questions. Clifton, one of the youth, found it very enjoyable that the former Congressman Zeliff made it more of an interactive tour. “He took the time to stop and discuss any questions we had at each specific site, giving us plenty of time to get the answers we needed. It was an awesome experience,” he said.

Questions ranged from lobbying, working for congress, running for office, being a legislator and more. Zeliff did his best to answer all the questions but he had help from employees as the youth walked around and ventured through the Capitol. Highlights from the youth included visiting the House of Representatives office buildings, hanging out on the U.S. Capitol balcony and even taking a ride on the underground tram en route to the Sargent at Arms Office.

“Touring the formal senate room and hearing how acoustics work in the space was very interesting,” said Charisse Ifill, Family-Teacher. “One of the highlights of the tour was the inclusivity of artwork. From statues of Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and Rosa Parks to the paintings of Pocahontas’ Baptism and the Declaration of Independence, it was quite a sight!”

“Hopefully this trip has sparked some future interests about activism and politics and the importance of civic engagement,” said Lisette Burton, Director of National Advocacy.

The Boys Town Washington DC youth experienced a memorable and engaging tour of the Capitol and possibly some sparked interests.

Boys Town is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit recognized by the IRS, and all donations to Boys Town are tax deductible in accordance with IRS regulations. Boys Town follows a policy of non-discrimination in accordance with the law.